Overkill setup?

[michor]

Ok,

Need some opinions

Since I drive a lot in secluded forrests while on my way home, usually with no oncoming traffic i thought & bought the following:
1) e46 bixenon projectors
2) Valeo High beam projectors from Phaeton (d1s version)

That would be the "base" setup. However, still, since I plan to retrofit e46 in my headlights (h7 + weird h3 high beams) mounting Valeo high beams in the fog lights, still h3 stock high remains free for play.

In effect I thought of dropping in a h3 pnp kit....

Summing up it would give:
E46 bixenon
Valeo high xenon
H3 high beam pnp kit in stock high beam


Too much?

EDIT:

The car in question:

[satrya]

Since you're planning on having a dedicated high beam via the Valeos, then I would say it would be more than the equivalent of a driving light (i.e. what is traditionally a constant on high beam supplement for backroad use without oncoming traffic).

Adding a pnp in the stock high beam would only make sense if the illumination for backroad use provided by the Valeos are lacking. I'm not sure if that will be the case.

Perhaps you might want to consider a wide beam for cornering light assist of the e46 low beams, instead of a high beam assist (per your H3 pnp). But that would require retrofitting a pair that has a wide beam, like a fog light.

[michor]

H3 Opel Calibra fog lights (small hella projectors) are also included in the project- in the future maybe Hella micro DE or fusion fogs if I come across them - but, since they are h3 I want them to remain halogen.

Or I could find some halogen H1 projectors and aim them to the sides (with flat cut-off) simulating fogs?
Or aim Valeos to the sides?

[satrya]

I suppose you could aim H1 to the side, but the appearance might be a bit odd. Plus it will consume a lot of space depth wise if it is installed at an angle. Micro DE with its original halogen is probably the best idea.

[BrokenVisaCard]

I would never use a projector as an offroad/backroad light.

And I know all about mountain roads. The long forest covered ones with more trees than open sky, open road with mild amount of trees From 35mph limit to 65mph limit.

PnP kit for the win for such lighting.

(I personally don't like driving on back mountain roads with projectors. Thankfully in my Durango I'm able to get past that with PnP kit in my fogs and hopefully soon an LED bar (instant on/off for traffic))

[michor]

I would never use a projector as an offroad/backroad light.

And I know all about mountain roads. The long forest covered ones with more trees than open sky, open road with mild amount of trees From 35mph limit to 65mph limit.

PnP kit for the win for such lighting.

(I personally don't like driving on back mountain roads with projectors. Thankfully in my Durango I'm able to get past that with PnP kit in my fogs and hopefully soon an LED bar (instant on/off for traffic))

That is why I asked about pnp kit... Valeos Highs would be operated by a different switch -in effect by default having e46 highs + h3 pnp stock highs with an option of Valeos.

I was more concerned that all of these would be too bright...

I live in a fairly flat region but -my old setup in my R19 was giving me problems with cornering - the distance from long range lights was fine but lacked width.
(was using Polish product -nice 2 halogen 183mm diameter h3 lamps which had 100W bulbs - aprooved and tested by manufacturer)

[satrya]

Sounds like the pnp for the h3 can be a later add on without any need to reopen the headlights, correct? Then you can always try the first 2 to see.

[BrokenVisaCard]

If you're going for width then maybe get an off road flood? I have Hella 500's and threw an H3 HID in it. Lights up over 3k feet but it's a straight beam. Width is okay, but for my setup (back curvy mountain roads) it just isn't too practical. So I feel ya on the width portion.

But I think as long as you have your lows, and something to fill in the gap, your highs, I think you'll be fine. If you put PnP in your factory highs that should also give you good width. At least in my experience..

[michor]

Sounds like the pnp for the h3 can be a later add on without any need to reopen the headlights, correct? Then you can always try the first 2 to see.

Yep. No problems with adding them later.
ok - I'll see than first what give me Valeos and E46 combined- I've only seen some wall shots of valeos - I want to see them for real how they throw.

Than again -> aiming of e46 bixenon + valeos? should I aim their hotspots together or valeos inside between e46? or on the outside straight forward?
(due to mounting project, valeos will be lower and more spaced than e46 - see photo of my car - valeos go in the foglights in the bumper as e46 are in the main beam section of the headligts giving a setup of smthg like .' '. (valeos being the dots, e46 apostrophes))

If you're going for width then maybe get an off road flood? I have Hella 500's and threw an H3 HID in it. Lights up over 3k feet but it's a straight beam. Width is okay, but for my setup (back curvy mountain roads) it just isn't too practical. So I feel ya on the width portion.

But I think as long as you have your lows, and something to fill in the gap, your highs, I think you'll be fine. If you put PnP in your factory highs that should also give you good width. At least in my experience..

Yep. thought of that before but: Unless I really have to I would like not to spoil the front of the car with large lights sticking out

My previous car and setup:
DSCN0183.JPG


the large long range gave like 600-800 meters (~2500 ft) of usable light BUT pretty straight beam...

EDIT:

I forgot
I have also a set of Hella FF75 fogs laying around (used with PNP kit in R19 later on when clean look instead of "rally-rat-somenthing" passed)

008284801.jpg
Fog-Lights-Hella-FF-75-1NA-008-284-801_2_enl.jpg


Maybe I should use that?

[BrokenVisaCard]

You could always try it. I wouldn't mind using thos Hellas on my truck mounted under my roof racks or my lower grill area (love the oval shape).

I had Hella 2500s and loved them.

[satrya]

I agree about trying the FF75.

As far as aim, my suggestion is to try to find a very long test area with a wall at one end to test how the distance lighting looks like. Then try different high beam (valeo) angles. I would stick to center aim for the e46.

[michor]

These hellas with h7 pnp kit in fact gave a nice flood of light- with high aim I was able to easily use them as low beam light...
That's an idea aimed slightly to the sides should give a nice effect- however I'm worried about too much foreground when I turn them on along with e46.

Or should I keep to halogen bulbs then?

I agree about trying the FF75.

As far as aim, my suggestion is to try to find a very long test area with a wall at one end to test how the distance lighting looks like. Then try different high beam (valeo) angles. I would stick to center aim for the e46.

My experience tells me that wall will be no good- when aiming previous lights on my Renault, usually the aim made on the wall was not good- actual test drives an corrections during these gave best effects.

[satrya]

I meant a very long corridor with a wall very close to the point where the distance light almost disappears. That way you can see what might be spotted/missed that far ahead, in addition to how the road gets lit.

How about figuring out a shield right behind the lens of the reflector to minimize foreground light? It might look ok if the shield color blends with the rest of the unit.